LEGEND LOST: Giorgio Chinaglia, celebrating a goal for in 1980 when the Cosmos ruled the soccer world from the Meadowlands, died yesterday of heart failure at 65. Photo: AP

Giorgio Chinaglia, the most loved and loathed character among a deep cast of intriguing international figures throughout the Cosmos’ brief, fantastic Giants Stadium run in the late 1970s, died yesterday of heart failure at his home in Florida. Chinaglia, 65, who co-hosted a soccer show on SiriusXM with his longtime friend Charlie Stillitano, had recently suffered a heart attack.

Covering the Cosmos — the most famous, corporate-constructed sports team in history — meant one was obligated to despise Chinaglia as a meddler for his so-close relationship with Warner Communications boss Steve Ross (Warner owned the team) that provided Chinaglia strong-armed influence on hiring and firing coaches, for Chinaglia’s on-field disregard for and jealousy of Pele and stars who followed, for his demand for the ball, served just-so, at the top of the box.

But I cherished George because he told the truth — as far as he was concerned, his version. We could argue for hours — pack of Marlboros, bottle of scotch — and we always left on good terms. He knew what he was, how he did it, and he never ran from tough questions, only straight into them. Nothing was off the record.

He was conceited — “I am Chinaglia!” — but only because he was convinced. He honestly thought what was best for him was even better for the North American Soccer League.

He even had strong opinions about the Yankees, whom he loved. I have a photo of Chinaglia, Billy Martin, then managing the A’s, Cosmos public relations man Mark Brickley and me. Good grief, I’m the only one still alive.

One night, the Cosmos were in Toronto, as were the A’s. Despite our soft warnings, Chinaglia begged Brickley and I to take him to meet Martin. Martin smiled for the photo, but had no idea — and didn’t seem interested — that Chinaglia, worldwide, was far more famous than he.

“He seemed kind of hung over,” Chinaglia, a bit disillusioned, said on the way back to the hotel. Brickley and I howled. So did George. We laughed for miles.

Even as a soccer radio/TV analyst, he held to a simple standard: “See it, say it.”

Last year on their SiriusXM show, he scolded Stillitano, in his Italian/Welsh accent (before starring for Lazio in Italy, Chinaglia was raised in Wales, where his Italian-immigrant parents ran a restaurant), “Charlie, don’t compare [Lionel] Messi with [Diego] Maradona, please.”

“Everyone else has, Giorgio.”

“Everyone else,” said Chinaglia, “is an idiot.”

Francesa makes it up as he goes — yet again

Mike Francesa’s 4-F Club — Francesa’s Fabulous Fabricated Facts — last week again offered so much to choose from. But we’ll go with his multiple all-knowing assertion on WFAN that Sean Payton can’t appeal NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to suspend him, that Goodell is “judge and jury” in the matter; it’s a closed deal; there’s no process through which Payton can appeal.

* Even post-Dick Ebersol, the “NBC Sports Report” inserts remain comically dishonest. Saturday, anchor Julie Donaldson, in order, reported: LPGA results (the LPGA is now largely seen on Golf Channel, an NBC property), NHL (an NBC property) results, a promo for an Indy car race (to be seen the next day on NBC Sports Net), and news that fired Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber had been hired by Kansas State.

The last item — college basketball news — was particularly interesting in that NBC’s “sports news” report did not include a word about the Final Four (not an NBC property), which was tipping in 15 minutes.

* For those raised on a six-team NHL, the Canadiens and Maple Leafs at the bottom of a 15-team conference is like watching Lady Byng being arraigned for assault.

Speaking of the NHL’s even older days, after yesterday’s brawling, finger-pointing, ejection-filled third period of Flyers-Penguins on NBC, Doc Emrick signed off with, “Old-time hockey. For Eddie Olczyk, Pierre McGuire, Toe Blake and Eddie Shore, Doc Emrick, saying, good night, all.”

He’s the best.

Final Farce: CBS crew won’t shut up

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It’s just a matter of common sense, which has become uncommon in everything: When three fellows call the same game on the same network at the same time, it doesn’t matter how sharp they are; there’s a virtual guarantee viewers — it’s TV, not radio — will have their ears marinated the entire game.

Would any network shot-caller be eager to attend a ballgame knowing the guy seated next to him will talk the entire game?

Saturday, that was CBS’ Final Four plan. Have Jim Nantz sit with Clark Kellogg and Steve Kerr, not just for one game, but consecutive games, thus non-stop courtside talk from 6 p.m. until 11:30.

The only breaks came at the halftimes and between-games, when we were supposed to enjoy a five-person panel, which became a seven-person panel when joined by John Calipari and two-days-left Kentucky star Anthony Davis.

Why try to out-ESPN ESPN? What happened to trying to produce good, sensible TV? Why, if networks want to save money, create flesh piles? Why turn your in-game analysts into background noise? Why not allow television to be the star of TV?

* More Final Four: Late in the first half of the Kentucky-Louisville game, then again early in the second half, one could recognize CBS’ director was Bob Fishman.

Both times Louisville, after scoring field goals, went into a full-court press, thus there were no formula-driven close-ups of the player who scored, no crowd, cheerleader, parents or bench shots. Fishman, again, allowed viewers to watch the game. No turnover, fast break, foul — nothing that could matter — would be missed. Imagine that.

* Q: Why was every student-athlete who CBS showed departing the Ohio State bus wearing headphones? A: Books on Tape.

If we didn’t know better, Davis grew one inch between every game. Still, he remained astonishingly fluid. We can see it now: He’s drafted by an NBA team that walks the ball up, minimizing his talent.

Best laugh of the night: When the NCAA’s academic image ad appeared before the Kentucky-Louisville tip.